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Subscribe to RSSKids may be back in school on Monday if the Chicago Teachers Union is able to reach an agreement about salary increases, teacher evaluations and rehiring policy for laid off teachers. NBC's Rehema Ellis reports.
Updated at 7:45 p.m. ET: President of the Chicago school board said on Friday that school negotiators had reached a "framework" agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union on a new contract that will end a strike in the third-largest school district in the nation.
"I am pleased to tell you we have in place frameworks around all of the major issues that should allow us to conclude this process and conclude it in time for our kids to be back in school on Monday morning," school board President Dave Vitale said.
Moments earlier, the attorney for the Chicago Teachers Union said the final deal wasn't done yet.
"The agreement has not been fully drafted and until an agreement is completed, the House of Delegates will not make a decision on whether to suspend the strike," CTU attorney Robert Bloch told reporters.
The union's delegates still will meet at 2 p.m. as planned, Bloch said, and a report will made to them about the progress of contract talks. Negotiations ended for the day, and Bloch said the two parties hope to have a deal drafted by Sunday. The union's delegates is a larger consultative body than the negotiating team.
"If the delegates so vote, we will suspend the strike and students can return to school on Monday," Bloch said.
Talks are expected to continue at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel issued a statement:
"This tentative framework is an honest and principled compromise that is about who we all work for: our students. It preserves more time for learning in the classroom, provides more support for teachers to excel at their craft, and gives principals the latitude and responsibility to build an environment in which our children can succeed. Now, our most important work continues: providing every child in every community of Chicago an education to match their potential."
Question at heart of Chicago strike: How do you measure teacher performance?
After a late night and early morning of negotiations, school officials had said they were confidently close to an agreement that would end Chicago's teacher strike over education reforms sought by the mayor.
Sitthixay Ditthavong / AP
Public school teachers rallying at Chicago's Congress Plaza protest against billionaire Hyatt Hotel mogul Penny Pritzker, who is also a member of the Chicago Board of Education on Thursday.
Thousands of teachers walked off the job Monday after months of negotiations failed to result in a new contract, affecting more than 350,000 students. It's the city's first teacher strike since October 1987.
"There were some creative ideas passed around, but we still do not have an agreement," Karen Lewis, the fiery former high school chemistry teacher who leads the union, told reporters. "We're going to go back to our respective shops and do some numbers crunching."
"It was a really, really long night," CPS chief education advisor Barbara Byrd-Bennett told NBCChicago.com. "We believe it was a beneficial night. We are so close I do believe it is very, very possible we could have a deal today."
She said she remained hopeful that students and teachers could return to class on Monday.
theGrio: 'Safe havens' for kids offered during Chicago teachers strike
"I think that we made some pretty good progress," Chicago School Board President David Vitale said on Thursday night. "We're closing a lot of gaps."
'A sense of urgency'
A more recent offer included provisions that would protect tenured teachers from dismissal in the first year of the evaluations.
It also altered categories that teachers can be rated on and added an appeals process. Additionally, evaluations could work on a graduated scale throughout the term of the contract, comprising between 25 and 35 percent of a teacher's total score.
"There's a sense of urgency today,'' said the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who stopped by the hotel where the negotiators were working Thursday and spoke to reporters. A day earlier, he said the two sides were talking past each other.
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Just curious, if teaching is such an easy, and high paying job, why are there not more people clamoring to be teachers?
It's not an easy job. Those of us that are ethical in their thinking understand this. Those that are not ethical realize they can suck you and I and millions of other people dry (tax wise), because that is how unions run. If you are a "REAL" teacher you work for a Private school, because you love your job and you are commited to your job. How many Private schools do you see go on strike. None. They are SMART and know how to SPEAK ENGLISH and TEACH ENGLISH. Food for thought......
the sad part about this is the kids have been out of school for so long they are all going to have to start again in the 1st grade.
In Sh!tcargo that's where they are being taught anyway, if in 1st or 8th grade. Nothing will change.
what does it matter .most kids who graduate from a chicago area highschool have the equivalent of a sixth grade education. the whole city is an embarrassment . its just full of racial hate. you have rev.wright and his ( i hate everybody thats white flock). jessie jackson, rahm emanuel,the white catholic clergy clown who gets on his soap box and also hates whites.the black panthers and to many to name black officials,and on and on. this racist city has had over 250 black folks killed in the last year? the city has no leadership !! none !! its like a third world country as for as leadership . who in the hell would want to live in a sespool like chicago? who ?
"What does it matter. Most kids who graduate from a Chicago high school have the equivalent of a sixth grade education" Sorry Blackmon I cleaned up your 5th grade version that you typed. Even though I do NOT believe the way this country is currently run administratively, and how F'd up Sh!tcargo is, "PEOPLE NEED AN EDUCATION". They don't deserve the "Lack there of" that they are receiving from their current teachers. I'm sure there are good teachers, but they are in the Private Schools. When the Government runs you, you get greedy because you are stupid, and that is exactly what is happening. When you have the WORST SCHOOLS IN THE NATION yet you are getting PAID MORE THEN MOST TEACHERS IN THE NATION, you have a problem.
and what did the people of Chicago get out of this strike, a week of grandstanding by this union, why because Emanuel caved to these teachers and they are going to get what they have been getting. As not one thing that Rahm wanted is he going to get and the teacher's are going to get what they have been getting, meaning they walked out on strike, so they could give the kids of Chicago a week off, as what they are getting now, is what the framework that was agreed to and Rahm Emanuel caved, way to show backbone there Emanuel, a person known for saying take advantage of a crisis
Rahm is a Puzzy, idiot, moron just like his President is. No clue on how to govern. See how the apple fell from that tree.
Compromised agreements never never work out. Look at congress. Will the % of kids graduating from high school increase ? Not a chance. One side needs to crush the other side. Not sure which side should win though.
Union thugs and sluts. Screwem
What good are the teachers anyway? It's a fact that you can't teach a monkey new tricks.
That's true in Sh!tcargo.
Teachers don't forget whose side Rahm Emanuel was on when you vote for mayor in the next election.
Yes please vote for someone with a brain. Not someone who got a lobotomy from Osama
I feel sorry for the Chicago Taxpayers and Students. They have been sold down the River by the Mayor
You are as stupid as they are even though your Mayor is a worthless POS, too
The worst thing about all of this BS that these low life, no tax paying, welfare and food stamp taken teachers are taking since they are union and have these entitlements that I have to pay for, IS, THEIR NEW CONTRACT WILL SAY THEY CAN NOT GET FIRED BECAUSE THEY:
1. Can't speak, read, write or TEACH English
2. Are Stupid.
3. Are a Pedophile
4. Clueless (PERIOD) about what they are teaching.
Give me a F'n break, they even said it. The money wasn't the issue. The JOB GUARANTEE was. So my daughter is in College and her math teacher doesn't know how to speak English or teach math. The students are teaching him. I complain, nothing happens. F U to all you fake teachers that are over paid, especially in "Sh!Tcargo".
AMEN!
I has benns a Chicago teacher fore 18 years now. I has tried very hard to teached these little kids some education but it is so hard. Thank you to my Unions peoples for all they hard work to make sure I can never be fired.
All public schools should have competition. A free market is needed to contain school cost and improve education quality.
Teacher's labor union should not have a monoply over public education. Children should have the option of attending Private schools paying with vouchers.
It's great to see the people responsible for one of the best school systems in the country get the raise that they so rightly deserve. I am glad that the Democratically controlled city will go ahead and put the school system further in debt in order to reward the people responsible for one of the highest literacy and graduation rates in the country. Bully for you, Chicago, for putting in place yet another commission to determine how to determine what constitutes success in teaching. It's great to see tax increases in the horizon for the people so well served by their public servants.
emanuel sounds like obama on the embassy attacks. Throw more money at it and look the other way.
I don't know what gripe the teachers in Chicago have, but when teachers in Baltimore were asked to vote for our new contract in 2010, most teachers turned it down. So the union kept pushing the raise to get teachers to vote for it. A lot of greedy fools fell for it, so the contract was passed, and many teachers are whining that they never got the raise. I don't care about more money, though I can certainly use it, but it's the working conditions that are driving teachers away. I am so tired of missing out on personal events. I missed my cousin's funeral Tuesday, because I had to attend a committee meeting, then from there I had to get to my class. I've missed other funerals, retirement parties, graduations. I have a 5 hour class tomorrow. And don't let me get started on my work hours. I get paid for 35 hours a week, I work more than 70. And yes, I work every weekend! Did you know teachers are held accountable for children not coming to school? Yep. Schools with poor attendance do not meet AYP, so they may have federal funds withheld from the school. Principals make that part of our evaluation. And the children don't even live with us!
I don't get why people do not understand what compromise is. Compromise is not giving someone half of what they want instead of all they want. Its giving them 1 thing they want for 1 thing you want.
There are thousands of people unemployed right now, and alot of them with better educations are more practical experience then the teachers striking. Maybe we should give them a shot to teach students by reaching out to charter schools instead of caving on $82k average annual salary with benefits.
You seem to be assuming the teachers are fighting for more money and benefits and that is not what the strike is about -- a kneejerk teacher hating reaction always complains about Teachers amazing salaries.. without bothering to read about what the actual issues are.
These Teachers are fighting against - Bush Administrations 'No Child Left Behind' plot -- Children were being n the Moneyshot -- GOP plot to End financing for Public Education..by complaining about the deficit and giving away so many tax cuts that money is not left in the budget in order to fund public education. Once you have everyone off public education and into costly private education --- here's the kicker -- The GOP will simply end the voucher program... and any families who cannot afford private education on their own dime.. will simply have uneducated children. that is the GOP vision for America.
You are so right, there is no way at all the issue is that the city is paying ridiculously unsustainable pensions and medical for people to not work for half their lives, it must be bush's fault...what an idiot.
They are striking against having to do their job.
Mike For-no-reason
The trouble with most of you conspiracy nuts is that you believe goofy sh*t that there is no answer to the question of "WHY?". Why would the GOP want to have a class of uneducated citizens? That is really the realm of the DEMs. It's been working for them for years. The Dems profess to want to help the poor, but all they really want is to buy votes. Consider: Poor people have been telling their kids to vote dem for 5 or 6 generations. "Vote for the party that helped your grand father's grandfather because he was poor." If the dems help the poor, how come the same families are still poor after 5 generations?
It's simple. Republicans have already stated that their primary goal is to make sure that Obama is a one term president. Not jobs, education or even America their primary goal is a one term Obama. They seem to be willing to sacrifice anything to achieve that goal even if the price is truth. Would Republicans purposely hinder education? Of course if they thought it would help them defeat a Democrat. Radicalized Republicans have become so obsessed about winning that they've forgotten what the real prize is. A strong America.
By making those statements Republicans have give me license to dismiss them. They have given me licence to to distrust anything they say since I know, that to them, this is a game they must win at all costs even if that cost is America. Now perhaps Democrats are the same way, but they weren't the ones who made the threat and we would be fools to ignore it.
Hey idiot, it's all democrates that are in with the greedy unions not Romney who is not YET president! Obama's puppet in Chicago is just as useless as Obama is in the White House!
Children are being left behind
Gee I miss the good old days when Reagan was running things.
Are people really that stupid? The only reason for a union is to raise salaries, improve employee benefits, have government and businesses pay for their retirements and vacations. I have yet to see any teacher union strike solely for their students needs. Have you ever seen a teacher or any school administrator walk off a job because the plumbing doesn't work in a school building, or for a library? Teacher unions are for their selfish wants and to use hot political issues like racism, crime, unemployment to manipulate and scare the public into paying more taxes and fees.....
So you're an advocate for socialism where everyone is equal everyone gets paid the same and there is no bargaining?
Once again a union blackmails the taxpayers to fill up thier greedy little members pockets. They should all be fired and the union should be busted. When will this stupid crap end? GREED the meaning of union life!
So Capitalism is fine for the wealthy, but greed when implemented by the common man. Got it! Just trying to understand a duplicitous dogma.